The Phoenix
by Gothic Rain
Summary: There once was a girl who was never given a chance to live but one day she found herself in a magical land faced with a destiny she couldn't believe. One that would help her discover her heritage and the power she beholds. She would face great struggles and obstacles along the way but with the power of love and friendship all will prevail. She just needs to accept who she is.


**The Phoenix**

A fan-based story inspired by Once Upon A Time

_Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon A Time or anything in relation to the story including all the Fairy Tales within. The only thing I could possibly own is my OC characters, but either way I gain no profit from anything in this story. _

**Abstract World**

Lightning crackled in the distance as a hand grabbed ahold of the side of a castle. A grunt was followed when the hand moved further to grasp the frame of a shattered window, pulling the owner of the hand upwards and into the structure. Wavy long hair was the only distinction of the adventurer who glided silently around broken furniture and ruined walls. Little light could be seen inside the building but the scratching sound of steel being unsheathed gave a distinct silver glint through the darkness as the individual walked into a large room empty of furniture or decorations. There was an entire wall that could have once been a window but the glass had all disappeared giving clear view of the arriving storm of lightning and rain.

The once silent adventurer announced her presence further by lowering the blade to the smooth ground by her feet creating a loud graveling sound as she approached the throne in front of her. "I know you're hear, dragon" A melodic yet emotionless voice called, her voice bouncing off the walls. No answer came from her calling, only the roaring thunder booming nearby. "Come out," the adventurer yelled harshly. "I know who you really are, Maleficent!"

Suddenly the storm could no longer be seen, and was instead replaced with darkness. A slit emerald eye opened followed by a toothy grin as the head was pulled away revealing the torso of the black dragon. A chuckle escaped the lips of the adventurer, even though it held no humor... only the slightest sign of agonizing sadness. "You-Maleficent...-you took everything away from me... and now I'll make sure you never do that to anyone else again!"

* * *

><p>A hockey puck rumbled on the street as three pairs of skates scrunched on concrete and gravel followed by the resounding swish of a net behind one of the three boys. A groan was followed by two laughs and the game continued with the players unknowingly being watched by a pair of hazel eyes. A young girl just outside the age of a toddler sat alone at the curb, just outside of her foster parent's home.<p>

She smiled very slightly at the sight of joy and amusement but the small expression was suddenly wiped from the child's face when a grumbling tone erupted from behind her. Fiery red hair flipped over her shoulder as the girl looked over her shoulder to see the ajar wooden door where her foster's father stood in front of, his arms crossed with that look in his eyes the girl had grown accustomed to.

She let out a sigh as she rose to her feet before trudging back to the house. When she stood in front of her foster father who put his hand on her shoulder and guided her into the office giving her the unspoken command to prepare dinner. The child sighed, and gazed once more at the playing children outside before getting to work with the doubt deep in her mind that she would never be able be so carefree.

* * *

><p>A few years later and the same red-haired girl sat at a table across a happy couple. She laughed happily with a man she would gladly call father. The two had just announced to her that they would adopt her in the morning, and the child couldn't have been happier. "So, what happened next?" The girl asked eagerly, enchanted by her foster father's stories.<p>

"The boat rocked backwards and I thought I would nearly fall out, but then I saw my catch just outside my boat! Grabbing the net as fast as I could I swept the fish into the net and saw that it was a large catfish!"

"Wow, that's so cool. I want to go fishing now!" The girl wished, looking hopefully at the couple.

"Well, after tomorrow you'll be able to go whenever you want!" The women said, patting her hand.

"Awesome, I love you guys!"

But it seemed it was not to be. The following morning the child awoke to crying, and softly padded her feet out of her room to see her foster parent's embracing each other, tear tracks down her foster mother's cheeks.

"What's going on?" The child asked, causing her foster father to pull away and guide her back to her room, and she barely resisted herself from flinching away from the motion.

"What's going on," she repeated, her eyes catching a mournful yet joyous look in his eyes. "My wife... she discovered she's pregnant."

"Oh, really! That's wonderful! We'll be a full family then!" The girl said, awed and happy not noticing the wince in the man's eyes.

"Actually, since this is happened - which we didn't think would - we need a lot of time and preparation for the baby." The girl had gone quiet, a sudden dread filling her. "What do you mean?"

A sigh and then, "It means you won't be staying with us. I'm sorry but we've already made the call to social-"

"No! You promised!" The girl yelled, sobbing now.

"I'm sorry, really I am... but you don't belong here."

"I thought you wanted to be my daddy!"

"You'll be picked up in an hour kiddo, be ready." The man told her, before leaving the room. An hour later the girl sat outside the porch alone, a black trash bag of her things in her lap as tearless eyes stared absently at the ground, a fish stuffed animal in her lap. The sound of a car rolled up and the girl glanced up before letting out a breath and stood, dreading the open door that would lead her back to hopelessness.

When she was inside the stuffy vehicle she glanced outside to see the stuffed animal sitting alone on the porch, her former foster parent's nowhere to be seen but the girl had no doubt they'd be celebrating inside... her just a forgotten memory.

* * *

><p>Sirens ring out in the distance as saviors raced to the rescue abandoning the city that needed it most where fights broke out and someone would be laying dead at the end of the day in the middle of the street or hidden in a dumpster. Coughs and bear bottles clinking could be heard in every corner followed by a flick of a lighter as a scarred hand lit her cigarette and brought it to punch pink lips.<p>

Uncaring arrogant hazel eyes with specks of golden glanced up as she put her lighter away. Ginger-amber hair gently swayed against the wind looking like waves before settling back gently down her back. A dog barked followed by running footsteps causing the young teenager to drop the cig and stamp it out as her dealer arrived.

"You have it?" He asked, opening his jacket a little. She nodded and pulled out a wad of rolled up bills from her jean pockets and handed it to the older boy who quickly checked to see if it was all there and then stuffed it into a pocket in his coat showing his satisfaction. She was given a package in return and knowing she didn't need to check as well she nodded at the dealer before tucking the package in her jean jacket as well as pulling up her hood before departing, her muddy shoes flicking dirty water in the air with every pace.

A door closed softly behind her as the girl walked inside, ignoring the distasteful sight of the apartment as she headed eight paces to her sleeping back rolled up in the right corner. She sat on the grey carpet of food and beer stains and pulled out the package. Pulling the white packaging away the girl smiled in relief at the sight of freshly baked bread in her hands, the lovely aroma filling her nostrils in pleasure.

She quickly tore off a large chunk of the stolen bread before digging into it with hunger of an animal as she hadn't eaten in too many days to count. It wasn't like the current residents of the apartment were actually going to take care of her, especially in such a busy city like Boston. She thought distantly that it would go well with some liquor but unfortunately she needed her mind to be up and alert so that was out of the question.

Making sure she chewed the last bite thoroughly she folded the wrapping back over the bread before stuffing it into her sleeping bag filled with the rest of necessary items she kept on her apart from the money which she kept tucked in bra where no smart man would look for it.

The lights flicked on in the once pitch black apartment followed by a door slamming closed as loud thumping of boots announced the man of the apartment, a man the teenager despised greatly. "Girl!" She let out a hiss in displeasure in response before standing to her feet immediately, her eyes never leaving the wobbly form of her current foster parent, once of them anyways.

Angry but drunken dark green eyes swiveled at her unfocused as he stumbled over to her. "You-" He grabbed her shoulder roughly and the teen had to fight herself from pulling away with a well-deserved uppercut. His spit hit her in the face but she had grown long use to such treatment. "You stole my money!" He shouted at her.

it was then she pulled away with an angry shout, "No I didn't!"

His arms flung out in mock desperation. "Then where did it go? You've been stealing from me ever since you got here you ungrateful child! After everything I've done for-"

"Ever think that maybe it was your good-for-nothing wife? The women whose never here? The only place she's ever at is the pub drinking with some lay-off and you don't think she's been getting that money from you?" She shouted, even though she was stealing from him it was either that or starving. It was better not to admit to it, even if the truth was as clear-as-day.

"Don't you dare-"

"Don't I dare what? Speak the truth. Tell you all about how she's sleeping off with-"

"Enough!" He shouted, and suddenly the girl found herself on the floor. Looking up she barely rolled out of the way of a steel-toed boot and knocked the feet of him out from under him.

A beer bottle laying on the ground was suddenly picked up and thrown at her, and having been caught of guard stumbled to dodge it resulting in the man grabbing one of her legs before pulling forward causing her to fall on her back once more. She kicked, hitting him in the face only to find the air escape her lungs by a meaty fist slamming into her stomach.

She followed the attack by a knee in his chest before flipping herself backwards and standing up, holding herself up against the wall as she regained her breath. The man stood with the bottle loosely in his hand before throwing himself forward and pushing her into the wall behind. He raised the bottle up angrily and she stared up defiantly in return before the bottle was lowered harshly, followed by pain in her temple, and then her vision went black.

When she awoke, she was lying against the wall she was previously pinned against. Loud snoring could be heard in the bedroom and the young teenager winced in pain as she brought her palm up against her bloody head before slowly and quietly getting to her feet. Waving off the unsteadiness she stumbled over to her sleeping bag and acting on an insane idea she's had on her mind for years she pulls her baggage over her shoulder and turns her back to the place she would not call home, and left.

She was done living with people who only used her. After all, she was the child no one wanted.

It was time she lived on her own.

* * *

><p>The sound of quiet clicking went unheard in the night as a thief hurriedly picked the lock of a shop, trying to do so in under a minute without getting caught in the process. "Hurry up!" A sleazy voice hissed in her ear causing her to jump and break the pick from surprise. Swearing under her breathe and sending a dark look at her companion she pulled the broken pick out before trying again, this time hearing a satisfying click followed by a squeak as her companion opened the door, shoving her out of the way in the process.<p>

"Bastard," the older teen whispered before following, and was met with the sight of countless jewels. Her companion was already in the process of bagging jewelry, idly doing so around the red beams which guarded the expensive accessories. With her own flexibility she followed suit, unrolling her bag and began stuffing as many expensive looking jewelry into the black bag.

"We should go," She said suddenly, having a bad feeling. "It's just nerves," was the gruff reply. "I've had more experience than you, Derek," she whispered back. "Yeah whatever, that doesn't mean you're right!"

Only for a siren to interrupt their batter did Derek realize how wrong he was. "Move!" He shouted, running straight through the beams causing an even louder siren to blare into their ears as they raced out of the building. "Run!" She shouted, trying to keep up with the younger thief who got a lucky head start.

"This is the police, stop!" It was worse than she feared. Quickening her pace she found herself running side by side with Derek as running feet sounded behind them where the officers began to chase.

And then, one fell. The red-head clothed in black stopped seeing her fallen companion and quickly grabbed his arms and dragged him to his feet only to feel sudden pain in her leg where he kicked her, leaving her now as the one on the ground. "What are you doing?" She yelled at him in disbelief and anger.

"Escaping!" He said, grabbing her own bag before darting around a corner leaving her dragging herself to her feet only to feel her wrists suddenly being pulled behind her back. Cool metal clamped over her wrists as shadowed eyes stare at the corner her companion disappeared behind and she felt undeniable betrayal and hatred as she was dragged away.

* * *

><p>A women stood behind a curtain looking out a window as tears trekked down her face from her lifeless eyes. Her long hair covered her bare torso while the rest of her was shielded in shadows as she turned her gaze to the desk of rolled up bills. Her payment for her services, the only way she believed she could make money after her prison time.<p>

The rain pattered outside and the young women found herself wishing she was the storm that went wherever it chose. She envied the tiny clear drops of water on her window, and found herself brushing away the tears. She hears a creak sound through the quiet apartment and looked over her shoulder to see a naked man's torso shift on the bed. Sighing to herself she turns away from the rain and walks back into the messy bedroom where clothes covered the ground along with beer bottles and food boxes.

When she stood on his side of the bed his eyes opened revealing lust-filled blue eyes and a greedy smile. She put on her mask and wore a charming smile before leaning over and kissing him ignoring his hands roaming her body before falling over him. She felt the emptiness in her grow stronger than ever, and did her best to ignore it as she earned her payment.

What had she become?

* * *

><p>High heels clicked loudly against the sidewalk as a prostitute walked down the street ignoring all the eyes which followed in drunken lust. She turned into a parking lot and pulled out a cig before lighting it and sticking the drug in her mouth exhaling a cloud of smoke as she walked. Soon she came across a large closed off building which she promptly went under and was welcomed with the site of a dozen men sitting in raggedy furniture drinking and laughing as many other women like herself laid draped over a man.<p>

Feeling nothing she approached a man absent of a women - the one paying her - and began kissing his neck having thrown the cig to the ground in the parking lot before coming inside.

Hands wrapped around her shoulders as her lips were switched from his shoulders to his lips before suddenly finding herself grabbed by another around the waist and was promptly pulled unto another man's lap. She swallowed a sound of annoyance and forced herself to kiss another stranger, her hands brushing through his hair.

She found herself suddenly thrown to another man, and pushing down all thoughts of humanity she allowed herself to be played with until suddenly everything went wrong and a women's scream filled the air. She looked up in time to see a pistol pulled out in the hand of one of the men, before she was dragged in front of someone. Realizing the situation she struggled only to have the one holding her grip unto her with a stronger hold.

She found herself unable to hear what was going on, her heart was pounding and her nerves were going haywire. Next thing she knew a shot fire and she was released. She turned finding a hole in his head before running to escape only to be grabbed again and this time the next shot sounded louder than before and her entire body went numb.

Realization hit her like a train and she stared blankly from the ground as her own blood pooled around her. She blacked out for a moment and awoke to find herself being tossed to the ground by a dumpster. She looked up through blurry eyes to see whoever was carrying her walk away. Everything felt off and she wondered if she was in pain as she rolled unto her back, hands on her stomach where she'd been shot.

She coughed, blood splattering her paling skin as her eyes looked into the sunny sky and she finally felt herself break inside as tears pooled in her eyes. She sobbed in agony, self-loathing, and hatred unknowingly creating a power surge of black and red around her. Unknowingly having a storm of energy wrap around her full of emotion before closing in on her and enveloping her. Her eyes shut closed the moment the energy crackled in life before exploding outwards taking all the lights in the city with it.

Then it was gone, with no trace of the incident left behind.

Not even her body remained.


End file.
